Think people forget sometimes that AB was meant to be an opener, but failed in that position so got sent back down to 5.
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Jacques Kallis vs AB de Villiers
- Thread starter PlayerComparisons
- Start date
Coronis
International Coach
Now we know which AB was really hiding down the order
He wasn't meant to be an opener. He debutted out of position as one, cos that was there was a gap in viable bats. They likely would have left him there if he had been crazy successful, but it wasn't the.intention.
shortpitched713
International Captain
Nah, AB was a wicket keeper in about 1/5 of the Test matches he played in, 24 out of 114. I sometimes put a bit of a flag against people who select him as a WK in something like a draft, because although capable, he really didn't play there much throughout his career, and opened in about as many matches as he kept (and few really consider him much of a Test opener at all).
In contrast, Kallis bowled in the vast majority of matches, even a solid majority of the innings of Tests he played in. Workload wasn't huge, but he was pretty consistent.
No, you're wrong. He was an opener. He debuted in domestic first class and one day cricket as an opener, played most his games in those formats as an opener and then debuted for SA Test and ODI teams as an opener.
He kept wicket domestically in T20s and batted down the order. Batting down the order and/or keeping wicket in Tests and ODIs were for a young AB him playing "out of position"
StephenZA
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
ABdV was never truly considered an opener. If you knew SA cricket you would know that at that period in time SA team struggled for genuine quality in the opening position and talented young batsmen where often put in as an opener in domestic cricket both to ensure maximum exposure but also give them the best chance to get into the SA team. Why do you think Gibbs was used as an opener?
Similar was done with Markram more recently when he first started in domestic cricket. But his hard hands was never really considered suitable for opening position. But he has got stuck there now. You can also look at Breetzke, Rickelton. More middle order players that have been opening often because of these sorts of dynamics with in SA cricket.
I remember CSA saying they wanted AB opening in FC with an eye on the national team. That he opened as early as his FC debut is news to me though.
Markram opening is still a mistake. Would have been a terror around 5, but seriously unsuited to opening, and it's not just the hard hands.
Yeah, that's why I said "he was meant to be an opener" as that's the role SA cricket groomed him for, failed and "got sent back down to 5"
Doesn't really matter either way. The point to take out of it is that he failed.
blackdevil95
School Boy/Girl Cricketer
What Kallis did better: Playing long innings, Longevity, 100 conversion rate. Numbers are also great for Kallis.
What AB did better: Flexibility, Saving the collapses, Counter attacks.
AB at his peak was as good as Kallis at his peak. But Kallis eats AB if longevity considered. And Kallis was the most reliable batsman I can see after Sachin during that time. I will edge it to Kallis
What AB did better: Flexibility, Saving the collapses, Counter attacks.
AB at his peak was as good as Kallis at his peak. But Kallis eats AB if longevity considered. And Kallis was the most reliable batsman I can see after Sachin during that time. I will edge it to Kallis
blackdevil95
School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Not really. AB did much better on low scoring encounters whereas Kallis did well on big scoring games. So the numbers are poorer for AB.
I saw their full careers so not basing it only on numbers. Both had some things going for them. Kallis was good for far longer and that tilts it towards him when it comes to comfortably clearing it.
blackdevil95
School Boy/Girl Cricketer
That's what I said. Kallis had better longevity. Kallis will be in my all time Test XI and AB won't
Johan
International Captain
poll so one sided that even @subshakerz didn't vote against Kallis
DrWolverine
International Debutant
Kallis wins by both peak and longevity
As long as he was there, I knew SA would not lose
Easy era or not, he had an insane peak(1999-2012)
Almost 12000 runs @ 61 over 14 years is crazy
In those 14 years, he averaged 45+ 13 times
His raw numbers are mind boggling
Third among run getters
Second only to Sachin in centuries
As long as he was there, I knew SA would not lose
Easy era or not, he had an insane peak(1999-2012)
Almost 12000 runs @ 61 over 14 years is crazy
In those 14 years, he averaged 45+ 13 times
His raw numbers are mind boggling
Third among run getters
Second only to Sachin in centuries
PlayerComparisons
International Captain
That 61 average would probably be even higher if he played for another country since SA pitches were pretty spicy